I am, by nature, a writer. I am a story-teller. I am a list-maker. In fact, I think I may have a journal addiction. I like to buy the cute journals from places like TJ Maxx, Target, or Home Goods, not because I really need another journal… but because they’re adorable. I keep these said journals in my purse, around the house, in the car, on my bedside table. Just in case, you know.
I would love to say that I whip one of those journals out every time my kids do something cute or funny, but alas, that usually doesn’t happen. Actually, I am pretty sure that never happens. I don’t even have a journal dedicated to my kids’ lives.
Mostly, because of Facebook.
I have turned to Facebook to document my kids’ lives. Oh, sure… I do use it to chronicle my life a bit, and to share things that I think might be helpful or inspiring, too, but mostly it’s turned into an online memory book for my kids.
I remember when Facebook rolled out the Timeline feature and everyone was freaking out about it. But here I was thinking, Yes! This is exactly what I wanted! Mark Z. was channeling my exact thoughts about what Facebook should be. Thanks, Mark!
One of the things that I have recently embraced is the hashtag.
I first got my Facebook account when I was pregnant with my youngest, and since then, I have been writing “Funny Quote of the Week” posts. Now, I usually don’t post them once a week, but, you know… it’s close enough. Lately, I have been adding a hashtag to these posts, so I can quickly search and access them when I want. The kids and I love going back and looking at these.
There are even apps and companies that will take your Facebook Timelines and turn them into actual, physical books. I haven’t yet gotten one, but someday, I plan on getting a Facebook that I can actually hold in my hand…. We’ll see.
I love the simplicity of being able to whip my phone out (if I can find it) and record my thoughts before my mommy-brain whisks that memory away into the mommy-brain abyss — where so many of my really great treasures that will never be thought about again can be found. Ahhhh… I digress.
Another of my favorite things about Facebook is the On This Day feature.
I love that it reminds me of things that happened one, two, three, or more years ago, and I think, Whoa, how can that have been so long ago? Or, Man, that was so much fun, or, Look how cute they were. For me, that is such a good thing.
Now, my kids are getting to the age where my oldest may be getting his own Facebook account soon. (???) That brings up several things for me to think about. I definitely don’t want to post things that embarrass my kids, but I probably have. Even so, I am very cognizant of that. But, who knows? By then, Facebook may be even more of an “old person” thing than it is right now (if that’s possible), and it may not even matter.
Did you know Facebook has the option to start a scrapbook for your kids?
I can tag my boys in all the photos they are in, even though they do not have an account. Yet, when I tag them, there are all the photos that they are in, right in one place! Genius!